2 Thessalonians 3:10
New International Version
For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

New Living Translation
Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”

English Standard Version
For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

Berean Standard Bible
For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”

Berean Literal Bible
For even when we were with you, we were commanding you this, that "if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat."

King James Bible
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

New King James Version
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

New American Standard Bible
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

NASB 1995
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

NASB 1977
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone will not work, neither let him eat.

Legacy Standard Bible
For even when we were with you, we used to command this to you: if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat.

Amplified Bible
For even while we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

Christian Standard Bible
In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”

American Standard Version
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
For when we were with you, we had commanded you this, that no one who is unwilling to work shall eat.

Contemporary English Version
We also gave you this rule: If you don't work, you don't eat.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For also when we were with you, this we declared to you: that, if any man will not work, neither let him eat.

English Revised Version
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, If any will not work, neither let him eat.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
While we were with you, we gave you the order: "Whoever doesn't want to work shouldn't be allowed to eat."

Good News Translation
While we were with you, we used to tell you, "Whoever refuses to work is not allowed to eat."

International Standard Version
While we were with you, we gave this order: "If anyone doesn't want to work, he shouldn't eat."

Literal Standard Version
for even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if anyone is not willing to work, neither let him eat,

Majority Standard Bible
For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.”

New American Bible
In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.

NET Bible
For even when we were with you, we used to give you this command: "If anyone is not willing to work, neither should he eat."

New Revised Standard Version
For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.

New Heart English Bible
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: "If anyone will not work, neither let him eat."

Webster's Bible Translation
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

Weymouth New Testament
For even when we were with you, we laid down this rule for you: "If a man does not choose to work, neither shall he eat."

World English Bible
For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: “If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat.”

Young's Literal Translation
for even when we were with you, this we did command you, that if any one is not willing to work, neither let him eat,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Warning against Irresponsibility
9Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate. 10For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” 11Yet we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies.…

Cross References
1 Thessalonians 3:4
Indeed, when we were with you, we kept warning you that we would suffer persecution; and as you know, it has come to pass.

1 Thessalonians 4:11
and to aspire to live quietly, to attend to your own matters, and to work with your own hands, as we instructed you.


Treasury of Scripture

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

when.

Luke 24:44
And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

John 16:4
But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

Acts 20:18
And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons,

that.

Genesis 3:19
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Proverbs 13:4
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.

Proverbs 20:4
The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

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2 Thessalonians 3
1. Paul craves their prayers for himself;
3. testifies what confidence he has in them;
5. makes request to God in their behalf;
6. gives them various precepts, especially to shun idleness, and ill company;
16. and then concludes with prayer and salutation.














(10) For even.--The sequence of thought is a little difficult, but it seems best to regard this "for" as connecting its sentence, not with 2Thessalonians 3:9, but rather with 2Thessalonians 3:6. It does not give the reason why St. Paul and his companions worked: "because we strictly enjoined you to work, and therefore could not be idle ourselves." Rather, it justifies the reiteration of the command: "We do not hesitate to command you now to repress this disorderly conduct, so contrary to the example set you; for, in fact, when we were with you we used to lay down this law." So Theodoret takes it: "It is no new thing that we write to you."

We commanded.--The tense in the original is that of constant re-assertion, which brings out once more the thorough grounding which the Apostles gave at once to their converts. (See Note on 2Thessalonians 3:6 : "the tradition;" also the Note on 2Thessalonians 2:5.) The same definite precept is referred to in 1Thessalonians 4:11. . . .

Verse 10. - For even when we were with you; during our residence in Thessalonica. This we commanded, that if any man would not work, neither should he eat. This or similar expressions have been shown to be a proverb in frequent use among the Jews. Thus: "Whoever doth not work doth not eat" ('Bereshith Rabba'); "Let not him who would not labour before the sabbath eat on the sabbath" ('In Lib. Zenon.'). It is a law of nature, and the apostle here sanctions it as a law of Christianity. There is here a reference to the sentence pronounced on man in Paradise in consequence of disobedience: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread" (Genesis 3:19). Labour, indeed, may in one point of view be considered as part of the curse, but it is also a blessing adapted to man's fallen nature. Labour is the law of God; idleness is the parent of many crimes and is productive of misery. He who has no business allotted to him ought to choose some useful occupation for himself.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

even
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

while
ὅτε (hote)
Adverb
Strong's 3753: When, at which time. From hos and te; at which too, i.e. When.

we were
ἦμεν (ēmen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

with
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

you,
ὑμᾶς (hymas)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 4771: You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.

we gave you this command:
παρηγγέλλομεν (parēngellomen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 3853: To notify, command, charge, entreat solemnly. From para and the base of aggelos; to transmit a message, i.e. to enjoin.

“If
Εἴ (Ei)
Conjunction
Strong's 1487: If. A primary particle of conditionality; if, whether, that, etc.

anyone
τις (tis)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5100: Any one, some one, a certain one or thing. An enclitic indefinite pronoun; some or any person or object.

is unwilling
θέλει (thelei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2309: To will, wish, desire, be willing, intend, design.

to work,
ἐργάζεσθαι (ergazesthai)
Verb - Present Infinitive Middle or Passive
Strong's 2038: To work, trade, perform, do, practice, commit, acquire by labor.

he shall not eat.”
ἐσθιέτω (esthietō)
Verb - Present Imperative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2068: Strengthened for a primary edo; used only in certain tenses, the rest being supplied by phago; to eat.


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NT Letters: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 For even when we were with you (2 Thess. 2 Thes. 2Th iiTh ii th)
2 Thessalonians 3:9
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